Welcome to Adventures in Crafting, Cooking, and Couponing! I hope this blog inspires you to get crafty, try new (easy!) recipes, and even embrace the art of couponing! I will be learning right along with you and documenting everything here.

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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Fab fall finds for less!

I am trying to become more of a cute, trendy mom! I used to consider myself a pretty well-dressed person. But, after my son was born (a year ago Friday), I turned into the athletic shorts, tee shirt, and tennis shoes mom. That's my Monday thru Friday go-to outfit. Blah, right? I've had trouble finding pants that conceal the "you're stuck with me forever" baby pudge tummy. So, after finding three AMAZING pairs of bottoms for fall at Chico's {Dark denim jegging, Black jegging, Slim leg "bling bottom" jeans}, I really got inspired to spruce up my look, especially for fall! I've also tried to become more daring/think outside of the box when I walk into my closet to pick out an outfit (mix and match different patterns, layer away!, be bold, etc). So far so good!

The problem with wanting to dress cute is always...you guessed it...I HAVE NO MONEY!

Well, at least not the amount to purchase a new wardrobe!

So, after pinning fall styles/trends like a mad woman, I decided to hunt for good items (vs giving up because I can't afford them). Don't get me wrong, you can find cheap stuff...but that's just it, the stuff, while cheap in price is often cheap in quality. So, I'm trying to make sure the crucial items are a good brand/great fit/etc. Here are some of my recent finds!

2- Leopard flats || If you've been on Pinterest in the past month, you've seen at least 50 outfits featuring leopard flats. I wasn't sure if they'd fit into my wardrobe, but I was wrong! They go with so much! And remember folks, we're stepping outside of the box. I found these $79 Steve Madden leopard flats at Macy's, but, again, since I'm new to leopard (and don't have $80 for flats), I was on the hunt for a less expensive option. After pinning these Mossimo leopard flats from Target,

I received a comment from a friend saying she loved them! So, I went to Target, tried them on, and loved them! They were also on sale for $14!

3- Nude wedge pump || My mom will tell you, "Stacy and Clinton say that everyone should have a pair of nude heels! They elongate your legs and go with everything!" Mom, I love you! And they are right. I'm telling you, you need a pair of nude heels! I've tried them on with dresses, shorts, jeans, slacks...they.go.with.everything! Unfortunately, I always find them to be expensive and uncomfortable...until now! I found these super comfy Jessica Simpson wedge pumps at

TJ Maxx for $39.99 (vs the $79 retail value).

1- Red and white bangle || I will wear the heck out of this bangle! Memorial Day, 4th of July, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Friday nights...haha. You get the idea! It's a great piece! I bought this at goodwill for $3.73 (I agree, overpriced for goodwill. Nonetheless, cheaper than I'd find anywhere else)

2- Green and white statement necklace || I love dressing up tees/jeans with fun accessories. This necklace will allow me to do just that! Plus, it's my favorite color!! I bought this at goodwill for $3.93.

3- Leopard scarf || Leopard!! My husband hates leopard print, but, let's face it...it's totally in right now! And, as we found with the shoes, it goes with so much! I'm excited to wear this with a black top, black jeggings, and my leopard flats! I bought this at Hobby Lobby (random, right?). It was $12.99, but with my 40% off coupon, I paid less than $8! PLEASE don't ever purchase anything over $5 at Hobby Lobby without a coupon. It's so easy to pull up on your smartphone! Safari>Google>Hobby Lobby Coupon>View coupon. Show it to the cashier for 40% off one regularly priced item! SO EASY!

Oversized sweater || I never thought I'd get into this trend, but I'm totally loving the idea of an oversized sweater with leggings and boots (and now that I have sweet boots, I'm in!) I saw this sweater at goodwill and thought to myself, "It's so ugly it's cute!" We'll see if it works.

But for $4.94, I couldn't pass it up!

And now it's time for textiles!

I bought this fabric at goodwill for $2.42. After bringing it home and realizing it wasn't going to work as a tablecloth, I decided to drape it over our couch. Wow! Look how much it added to the couch! (and, bonus, it matches our pillows!) It never hurts to check out every section at goodwill: clothing, shoes, jewelry, textiles, glass/mugs/ceramics, books, lamps, picture frames, dvds...you just might be surprised at what you find!

In case you didn't already know, I'm a seasonal gal! I love decorating the house for any and every season/holiday/event, etc! I never have a good tablecloth/placemats for the red, white, & blue holidays! So, I was happy to find these patriotic placemats on sale at Bed, Bath, and Beyond today for 99¢ each!

(And, here's a fun fact I just learned while typing this post: To get the cents symbol (¢) on a mac, simply hit Option + 4. Pretty cool, huh? You're welcome)

I hope you're inspired to hunt for good deals on fabulous pieces for fall! Happy shopping, y'all!